Hand-held miniature automatic tree injection device

ABSTRACT

A method of using a hand-held miniature device for injecting an agent into a tree with continuous pressure that is adjustable. The device features one-thumb on/off switch operation for a metered dose, precise dose measuring, and air-powered injection in a lightweight device. The on/off switch does not need to be held in the on position by a user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 14/730,559, filed on Jun. 4, 2015, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/007,526, filed on Jun. 4, 2014, and which are herein incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention herein resides in the field of devices for injecting fluids into a tree and more particularly relates to a hand-held miniature device for injecting an agent into a tree with variable but continuous pressure that is adjustable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tree injection devices typically are used to inject various agents, such as growth retardants or regulators, fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides, herbicides, pesticides and the like into the trunk of a tree. Ideally the injection is into the xylem cells of the outer grown rings of the tree. Most tree injection devices are manually operated and all of them are large and bulky.

Tree injection devices often operate under constant pressures and typically are available in two styles: low pressure tree injection devices that operate at a constant pressure of 2 psi-60 psi or less and high pressure tree injection devices that operate at a constant pressure of about 200 psi.

There is still a need in the art for a tree injection device in which the automatic injection device is light weight and easy to operate. The present invention is directed to these, as well as other, important ends.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a hand-held miniature automatic device for injecting an agent into a tree with continuous pressure adjusted by the applicator.

In one embodiment of the invention the hand-held miniature automatic device comprises an air cylinder that automatically injects the agent into the tree when the cylinder is activated by a switch. The device also includes a dose adjustment and locking system on the rear. The device uses a clear metering ⁻barrel (which can be made out of glass, pyrex or other clear material) to identify the dose applied and uses one way check valves to allow for loading and discharging the device. The air flow control may be used to shut the system down while activated. By slowly opening the valve, the user is able to bleed out any trapped air and prime the system.

Additionally, the device fits in the palm of the user's hand and weighs around two pounds. In preferred embodiments, the device weighs between about 1-4 pounds, more preferably between about 1.5-2.5 pounds, and most preferably about 2 pounds.

These same objectives may be achieved by making the air cylinder and body slightly larger requiring lower air pressure or by making the air cylinder and body slightly smaller where similar or higher air pressure may be required. The weight will adjust accordingly. This same device could also be made from a composite material with lower weight, including but not limited to, plastics, thermoplastics, acetal resins, e.g., Delrin, and phenolic resins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a view of the hand-held miniature automatic device of this invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an enlarged cross-sectional view of the hand-held miniature automatic device

FIG. 3 illustrates a view of the hand-held miniature automatic device with a conical shape needle

FIG. 4 illustrates a view of the hand-held miniature automatic device with a flexible tube that could use any needle design

FIG. 5 illustrates a view of the hand-held miniature automatic device as a system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

As used throughout the disclosure, the following terms, unless otherwise indicated, shall be understood to have the following meanings.

“Agent” includes, but is not limited to, any liquid that is injected into a tree, such as, for example, fungicides, insecticides, herbicides, pesticides, growth retardants or regulators, fertilizers, nutrients, bacteriacides, flavors and other tree health products and the like, or a combination of two or more thereof.

“Tree” refers to any plant belonging to the kingdom Plantae, including, but not limited to, a tree, a woody tree, a plant, a woody plant, a bush, a vine, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, one embodiment of hand-held miniature automatic tree injection device comprises a clear barrel, possibly glass or pyrex or other clear material, intake and exit check valves, quick disconnects, a flow control valve (which may also be eliminated if desired see FIG. 3), an adjustment rod and lock nut assembly, a mounting ring, a body and an on/off switch for activation.

As shown in FIG. 2, one embodiment of the hand-held miniature automatic tree injection device comprises an air piston and o'ring assembly, a fluid piston and o'ring assembly and a stopper with o'ring assembly.

In one embodiment of the invention, a vacuum is created in the fluid piston chamber automatically upon return of the air and fluid pistons. The underside intake check valve, upon return of the fluid piston, allows the liquid formulation to pass from the reservoir to the fluid piston chamber while substantially preventing the liquid formulation from passing from the piston chamber to the reservoir. The adjustment shaft and stud stopper identify the reset position and define the range of motion of the piston within the cylinder. The injector check valve is connected to the case cylinder that encapsulates the clear barrel. This valve has an attachment that allows multiple tips and or/flexible hose, (FIG. 3 and FIG. 4) to be used. The tip at the end of the hand-held miniature automatic tree injection device or flexible hose is equipped with a needle that is inserted into the tree directly, using a conical shaped needle or through a plug. The injector check valve allows the liquid formulation to pass from the piston chamber to the needle while substantially preventing the liquid formulation from passing from the needle to the piston chamber. It should be noted that injection needles, hoses and plugs are well-known in the art and are not illustrated herein

During the forward injection movement, the injection check valve is in a closed position. Upon activating the on/off switch forward to the on position, the fluid is injected into the tree as the injection check valve opens with pressure and conversely the intake check valve closes. After the metered amount of the agent is injected, a reverse movement of the on/off switch to the off position will automatically return the air and liquid pistons and create a small vacuum in the liquid piston chamber to the prescribed dose and the process is ready to start again. This may also be accomplished using a trigger that requires the switch to be held in the on position until the dose is applied. By timing the injection period and monitoring environmental conditions, various assumptions and decisions can be made concerning the tree's health. Adjustments can he made that optimize the applicator's goals concerning application speed, tree health or other factors.

One embodiment of the operation of the device includes a removable pressurized air tank and pressure regulator that adjusts the air cylinder pressure from about 0 psi-125 psi, or higher in other embodiments. The air cylinder generates approximately a 2:1 advantage allowing tree intake pressures from about 0 psi-250 psi. This could also be provided by a compressor or other air holding device. Other power advantage ratios may also be used in similar, smaller, and larger embodiments of the design. These ratios of air piston pressure: liquid piston pressure may be selected from the range of 2:1-10:1 and the range of 1:2-1:10. In one embodiment, the air piston provides a 2:1 pressure advantage to the liquid piston. The air cylinder and spring also act as a cushion should the tree reject the speed, viscosity and pressure of the injected agent, allowing the tree to consume the agent at a rate it accepts.

In another embodiment of the operation of the device, the air flow regulator will control the speed of the device and allow for priming. By adjusting the flow control valve the speed has infinite variability; this assists with loading of various viscosities and reduces shock to the tree. Additionally, by closing the flow control valve while in the off position and then by slowly opening the valve in the on position, the pistons will move at a very slow speed so the user is able to bleed out any trapped air and prime the system. Alternatively, the same bleeding condition can be achieved by threading the adjustment screw forward until the air is removed.

In another embodiment of the operation of the device, the hand assembly fits directly in the user's palm at a weight of only about two pounds. It can be immediately adjusted by loosening the lock nut and turning the adjustment knob. No measuring is necessary.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined by the following claims. 

We claim:
 1. A method for injecting an agent into a tree for use by a user, the method comprising the following steps: (a) providing a portable hand-holdable tree injection device capable of delivering a variable but continuous injection of a pre-chosen agent at different injection pressures into the tree's trunk, wherein the device is powered by a portable air tank or regulator, weighs between about 1-4 pounds, and comprises a clear metering barrel, an air piston, a flow control valve, a needle at the end of the device, and an on/off switch; (b) adjusting the dose of the agent to be injected into the tree by using the clear metering barrel to identify the dose to be applied; (c) adjusting the air pressure to be between about 1 psi-125 psi; (c) inserting the needle into the tree, wherein the needle is injected directly into the tree or injected through a plug placed in the tree; (d) turning the on/off switch to the on position, and then releasing the switch, such that the user is not required to hold the on/off switch in the on position throughout injection; (e) thereby injecting the tree with the agent.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent is selected from the group consisting of fungicides, insecticides, herbicides, pesticides, growth retardants, regulators, fertilizers, nutrients, bacteriacides, flavors, or a combination of two or more thereof.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the dose is adjusted in step (b) by the user visually watching the clear barrel while using an adjustment nut to move the air piston back and forth and locking it in place.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein a flow control valve is placed on the air tank to allow for variability of piston speed, and further wherein the flow control valve assists with loading of various viscosities and reducing shock to the tree.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user holds the device and switches it on with one hand.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a ring, wherein the ring allows the device to be attached to the user's waist.
 7. A method of diagnosing the health of the tree by timing the injection as seen through the clear tube and comparing that speed with environmental conditions.
 8. A hand-held miniature automatic tree injection apparatus capable of delivering a variable but continuous injection of a pre-chosen treatment agent at predetermined pressures into the trunk of a tree, the apparatus comprising: a reservoir for holding the treatment agent, an injection needle joined to the reservoir, a piston for powering the apparatus whose head slides within a piston chamber to generate a continuous flow pressure for injection, an air tank or other air source for driving the piston, and a connection to a source of energy for operating the apparatus, wherein the apparatus integrates simple visual adjustment of dose through a clear barrel, speed control, 2:1 power advantage, air bleed adjustment, switching and automatic operation into a single apparatus that weighs between about 1-4 pounds and fits into the palm of a user's hand.
 9. The tree injection apparatus of claim 8, wherein the device weighs about 2 pounds.
 10. The tree injection apparatus of claim 8, wherein the dose is quickly and easily adjusted through visually watching the clear barrel while using an adjustment nut to move the piston back and forth and locking it in place.
 11. The tree injection apparatus of claim 8, wherein a flow control valve is placed on the air tank to allow for variability of piston speed, and further wherein the flow control valve assists with loading of various viscosities and reducing shock to the tree.
 12. The tree injection apparatus of claim 8, wherein the air bleed adjustment comprises bleeding out trapped air by slowly opening the valve in the on position.
 13. The tree injection apparatus of claim 8 wherein the on/off operation does not require the applicator to hold the actuator in the on position to operate, and wherein an electronic flow pressure sensor is located in the piston head.
 14. The tree injection apparatus of claim 8 wherein the air piston can provide a 2:1 pressure advantage to the liquid piston.
 15. The tree injection apparatus of claim 8 wherein the body integrates a manner in which to hold the tube line from the reservoir.
 16. The tree injection apparatus of claim 8 wherein the device has a ring that allows it to be attached to a user's waist. 